SRINAGAR: In a growing number of cases across hospitals, delayed speech development in children is being linked to excessive screen time, a trend that medical professionals say warrants urgent parental attention.
Several parents have come forward with distressing experiences, describing how their children, once verbally responsive, regressed into silence after prolonged exposure to mobile phones. In one such case, a family had to relocate temporarily to access therapy after their child stopped speaking altogether. Despite attempts to limit device use, challenges within joint family setups and hectic routines often led to increased screen exposure. Speech and occupational therapies are helping children recover, but the emotional and logistical toll on families remains high.
Experts at Children’s Hospital, Bemina, report a significant rise in such cases, with nearly one-third of recent patients showing speech delays associated with mobile phone use. Speech therapists warn that children immersed in virtual content engage less in real-world interaction and physical activity, affecting not just speech but also overall cognitive and emotional growth.
A 2022 study by the Government Medical College, Srinagar, echoed these concerns, citing negative impacts of screen time on mental well-being, behaviour, and physical health. While delayed speech linked to screens is still an emerging field of research, experts insist that avoiding digital exposure, especially in the first five years, is vital. They urge parents to reclaim active, screen-free engagement with their children as a preventive and healing strategy.
